After the Storm
by Ashelia
Summary: After the crew of the Cyodrake's Gaze returns to Shenkuu, Hoban reflects on the events out at sea, and thinks of a certain someone. Implied romance. Oneshot.


Hello all! I've decided to write a story that's been in the back of my head for a few days now, inspired by Neopet's latest mini-plot, _The Cyodrake's Gaze_. It is told from Hoban's point-of-view, and is a oneshot. I love constructive criticism! Flame me if you want, too, they won't bother me.

Disclaimer: All of the characters, names and places belong to Neopets! The only thing I own is the idea, if that counts.

It was only a few days since we arrived in Shenkuu. Everyone seemed to be adjusting fairly well. Anshu and Kentari had their own little shops opened, Bonju continued to make his horrible food in hope that someone would eat it and, "appreciate his genius," as he put it. I knew better than to provoke him again ever since the incident on the Gaze, but couldn't help the words that escaped my lips.

"I think they'd appreciate you not destroying their stomach lining!"

His eyes turned red from the comment, and I could almost see steam coming from him.. or it could have been from the mess he was cooking in the pot behind him, I didn't stay to find out. Dashing from his kitchen with a grin on my face, I started walking along the long bridges that connected the grassy mountains.

It felt so good to be home after being out there for so long. I almost forgot what it looked like. The air was so clean so high up. Inhaling deeply, I glanced to the quiet waterfall running down one of the mountains with a content smile.on my face. Yes, I had definitely missed it here. As I noticed Linae's Kou-Jong gazebo, I found that my thoughts were drifting towards her, and I couldn't help but stare down at it, picturing her sitting in there, playing. On the ship, I had often wanted to go into her cabin and play, sit with her, talk to her, anything to have an excuse to go in there. She was one of the only ones who treated me civilly until.. that night.

Everything had fallen apart that stormy night.

With a sigh and a shake of my head, I turned around and walked off. Now they all hated me. Linae seemed to hate me almost more than Bonju. We were all acting out of character that night, but having an argument with her was one of the last things I wanted to do, especially when I had built up enough courage the day before to ask her to play Kou-Jong.

I loved watching Linae play. I loved the way her upper lip curled slightly in thought as she was looking for the next pair, and the way her eyes lit up when she finally found it. She'd take them off carefully, not wanting to disturb the other tiles, and then repeat the process. She wouldn't want to talk to me now, though. We were both at fault and both had said some pretty nasty things to one another, but I couldn't help but feel responsible. I did say I'd sail the ship into a storm, and it happened.

Looking up, I sighed again as I neared the aforementioned ship. It was the only place anymore that I still felt welcomed, even if I was alone. The captain also had other things to do. Even were concerned about me, I knew the others were still annoyed with the way I treated them. I couldn't blame them either, and that's why I isolated myself most of the time in the ship's storeroom - my current destination.

I felt her yellow eyes on me as I sat on one of the upside down crates. I knew she had been following me soon after I walked away from her gazebo, but I didn't want to say anything, scared that she might decide to go back. But she was here now. She followed me, so I figured she had something to say, but without even turning around I could feel her hesitate and fumble over her words. I decided to break the deafening silence, and turned to look at her.

"Linae, look--"

"No Hoban, I need to talk to you." She sighed and then rubbed the back of her head. We were both very proud individuals, so I knew it had to be hard for her. "I'm sorry.. for how I acted that night on the Gaze. I know the storm wasn't your fault, but I wasn't in the best of moods. I wasn't feeling well."

"From Bonju's cooking?" I asked with a grin.

She smiled back at me and nodded. "Yeah. I was a bit annoyed because of that, and that we couldn't stop off to get some medicine. It was out of the way, and I shouldn't ha--"

It was my turn to cut her off. "No, I should have stopped. It wasn't that much to ask, and it might have prevented other.. things.. from happening." I didn't have to specify what 'things' I meant; she knew. "I guess what I'm trying to say is that I'm sorry, too."

She smiled again, and it was at that moment that I decided that no matter what, I'd do anything to see it happen as many times as I could. I realized she was still standing in the doorway, so I flipped another crate over and pulled it up to mine. "Come on in." I noticed her hesitation, and I smiled again, letting her know that all was forgiven. This seemed to work, and she sat down on the empty crate next to mine, holding up a sack. I knew what was in there right away.

"Do you want to play?"

I nodded, watching with a smile as she set the tiles up in an intricate pattern. I knew how to play from the times I had secretly watched her, and she didn't question how I knew the rules. She stopped me before I could pick the first pair up.

"Let's play this together?"

I could only nod again, watching as she smiled. She thought I might reject her, but the truth was that I could never say no to her, she just didn't know it yet.

We spent the rest of the day taking turns picking pairs of tiles from the stack, talking, laughing, and I knew that it wouldn't be so lonely back here after all, especially with Linae.


End file.
